An automobile has suspension towers in rear wheel housings with which struts of the suspension or suspension arms supporting rear wheels are connected. As a result, since forward and backward force and lateral force act on the rear wheel housings while the automobile is running, a connection member is sometimes extended between the right and left wheel housings in a wagon or van-type automobile so as to enhance rigidity to the lateral force (Japanese Utility Model Appln. Public Disclosure No. 64-26582 Official Gazette).
In a wagon or van-type automobile, sometimes collapsible seats are installed in a space between the right and left rear wheel housings to be used as a space for accommodating passengers or for loading freight with the seats collapsed or moved. Therefore, in an automobile with a connection member extended between rear wheel housings, the connection member is often attached or removed. For this reason, it is preferable to connect a connection member and rear wheel housings by removable restraint means. Such restraint means is exemplified, for example, in FIGS. 15-18 of the above-mentioned Official Gazette.
According to the restraint means described in the Official Gazette, a bracket having a one-side open rectangle-shaped or U-shaped configuration in vertical section is attached to each suspension tower of rear wheel housings with its opening directed upward, a horizontal piece is extended outward from one side of the bracket opening, and a lever swingable about a horizontal axis is attached to the other side of the opening. Also, a pair of hooks having one-side open rectangle-shaped configuration in plane are attached horizontally to an end of a connection member in the directions opposite to each other. To connect the connection member, one of their hooks is inserted into the horizontal piece to hook, the lever is turned downward such that another hook is fitted into a recess in the lever. To disconnect, the lever is turned upward to release and remove the one hook from the horizontal piece of the bracket.